Defence Attachés visit BRNC

A group of 22 Defence Attachés, representing 20 nations, have been given an insight into the training provided at Britannia Royal Naval College (BRNC).

The group, which included attachés from Europe, the Gulf States and the Far East, spent a day at BRNC. They were briefed on the 29-week initial naval training course undertaken by Cadets destined for careers in the Royal Navy together with Officer Cadets from over 20 nations.

The visitors were also given an understanding of the broader work undertaken by the College through the Royal Navy Leadership Academy and the University Royal Naval Units.

Highlights of the visit included an invitation to take a look at BRNC’s multi-million pound bridge simulator, which is used to teach navigation. The simulator recreates a fully operational bridge and can represent open sea, narrow channels, harbours and coastlines from all over the world. It can be set up to represent different classes of ship whilst also changing the environmental conditions including sea state and visibility. 

The visitors were also taken to Sandquay, BRNC’s training facility on the River Dart. There they learnt about the maritime aspect of training and the four-day leadership exercise which sees the Cadets living and working on small boats, operating as a fictional task group on a stabilisation mission in an area hit by natural disaster.

Captain Jol Woodard, the Commanding Officer of BRNC, said, “BRNC plays a key role in defence diplomacy with the number of cadets that visit us each year either to take part in training or for short-term acquaints. This was an important opportunity for us to brief the Defence Attachés on our training programmes and show them the extensive facilities we use to deliver our training.”

The visitors were taking part in a professional programme for the London accredited Foreign Attachés designed to show them UK capabilities and promote opportunities for international engagement. 

They were also given a historical tour of the College and during their time in the South West visited Devonport Naval Base.